Finding Monsters
by HeLiedToMyFace
Summary: The year of the 65th Game was a gorgeous year as Finnick Odiar is. The year of the 71st Game was ruthless as Johanna Mason is. The 72nd Game was as Golden as it's Victor Cassia Redwood. This is the story of how the Capitol's Golden Girl came to be. Rated T for now may change later.
1. Fate, Chance, and Bad Luck

**Hello I am HeLieToMyFace and this is my first fanfiction! I'm very excited to see how everyone reacts to this fic! I am only Co-Author so I can only take half credit! My other half is StarBright18! She is AMAZING! Go check her out! **

**Seeing as this is my first fic please review and tell me if I suck! Don't hold back! Critizism is welcome! Please just give this a shot! **

**Okay read away! **

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**Rule #1 Life is Tough**

The little monsters weren't under my bed, or even inside my head...no I was the monster of all monsters. They forced me into an arena of death and sadly I came out on top.

Growing up in District Seven wasn't a walk in the park, every day your will to live was challenged endlessly if you faltered for even a moment District Seven would chew you up and spit you out. I learned every lesson in life the hard way, by age eight I was working alongside my father in the lush forest that surround our home. By age thirteen I was a master at plant identification and finally by the time I was fifteen I had mastered the axe. Also the art of climbing and cutting down trees was among my list of skills. On my sixteenth birthday my father died in a logging accident...he was crushed by a redwood. After that incident I shut down emotional and never let anyone know how I felt or what I thought; I was a shell of my former self. Maybe that's why I so eagerly volunteered for my own death.

(Flashback)

"_Kai! Stop it!" I laugh as he tried stepping on the back of my boots._

_ Kai completely ignored my protests by making another attempt at my boots. I took off in a slight run laughing with my books held tightly to my chest, attempting to get far enough away so that he couldn't reach me. Knowing he would come after me I started to dodge between trees. At one point he had gotten close enough to see which trees I weaved through. I dodged a big spruce and ran around it so I was behind Kai. If I hadn't laughed we probably would have gone all the way home like that. Kai whipped around stopping dead in his tracks, I was to close so I didn't have enough time to stop. We ended up nose to nose, staring into each other's eyes. His brilliant blue/green ones meeting my light stormy blue/greys. _

_ Kai and I had decided to take the long way home and go through the Pine Woods instead of the old boring dirt road. We had our last class of the required semester and we wanted to celebrate and have some fun before returning to work. _

"_What are you looking at?" Kai asks playfully _

"_Well not much." I say with fake sarcasm. _

_ A smile crosses his face and I return it. In that moment we are just two kids fooling around in the woods, in the next few weeks to come we would be rejoining our father's in the forest in the same area cutting down trees and prepping them to go off to the mill. _

_ Kai and I have been best friends since we learned to count. There are some tree swings by the school house and that day and I had really wanted to swing but had no one to push me. He had been the only there so I simply just went up to him and asked if he would push me. At first he shied away and told me he didn't like strangers so I introduced myself and told him that we were neighbors and not strangers. He finally gave in and pushed me on the swings. We spent all day pushing each other and chatting as five year old children do. When our fathers came looking for us they walked back with us and I said good night. Every day after that we would meet up at the swings and talk until it was time to go home. _

_ Kai understood me, unlike anyone else. He knew when I needed to laugh, or needed a hug. He would also make sure I got my homework done, and that I understood everything. Kai was my saving grace and always had been. I just never realized just how much I really did need him. _

_ As we walked out of the forest and into the town, something felt off. I couldn't place it and there was too many people out. _

"_Why aren't these people at work?" I whisper to Kai. _

_ He just shrugged his shoulders and listened to the random bits of conversation as we walked trying to piece it all together. We finally made our way to our houses and as our routine I followed Kai into his house. _

"_Mom! I'm home!" Kai shouts. _

"_Kai is Cassia with you?" She asks _

"_Yeah, Mrs. Mayberry I'm right here." I say brightly _

"_Kai will you walk Cassia to her house her mother was looking for her. It seemed urgent." Kai's mom explains_

"_Yeah, come on Cass." Kai says ushering me out_

"_I wonder what she needs me for." I think aloud. _

_ Kai just shrugged his shoulder, he knew just as little as I did. It took only 20 seconds to walk over to my house and get through the door. _

"_Mom? Where are you? Mrs. Mayberry said you were looking for me." I yell out _

_ A man who I recognized as one of my father's friends appeared from the kitchen. His face was sullen and creased with sadness. _

"_Uhh, do you know where my mom is?" I ask him_

"_Cassia you need to come with me." He says quietly _

"_Why? Where is my mom and dad?" I asks as a panicked feeling set over me._

"_Please just come to the living room." He says motioning for me to come. _

_ I followed his directions cautiously, and walked into the room. Kai followed me just out of habit. We found my mom and my younger sister Calla sobbing in Mr. Mayberry's arms. _

"_Dad?" Kai asks with genuine surprise._

"_Mom?" My voice wavered _

"_I'm so sorry Cassie." She sobbing loudly _

"_Will someone tell me what's going on!?" I ask getting annoyed. _

"_There was an accident. In the Redwoods…" My father's friend began from behind me _

"_No…no…no please." I say turning around._

"_Your father couldn't get out from under it soon enough. It crushed him." The man says _

_ The air disappeared from my chest, and I dropped to my knees. _

"_I'm so sorry. If I hadn't seen it myself I wouldn't be able to say it was him. The body was unrecognizable. _

"_No, no, no…no! NO! Oh God. No!" I scream out falling to my knees. _

_ Kai falls next to me wrapping me in his arms. I bury my face in the crook of his neck, he holds me as I scream and sob. I faintly remember myself repeating "No…no…no please." I don't know how long we sat there in the same spot not moving. Eventually I remembered falling into a fitful sleep and having Kai carry me to my bed. _

"_Don't leave me please. Please don't leave me." I say grabbing onto Kai's shirt_

"_I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here when you wake up. I promise." He says _

_ I don't have the energy to respond, and I fall back into the blackness. I don't know how long I slept for, but it was dark when I woke up. Instantly remembering everything I let out a whimper. _

"_Shh, I'm right here Cass." Kai says _

_ I wrap myself around him burying my face into his chest and begin silent crying. He whispers comforting things into my hair, and he eventually rocks me back to sleep. _

_ The next time I awake a scream ripped its way out of my throat, and I begin violently shaking. _

"_He's dead. Kai he's dead!" I scream out in emotional pain. _

_ My heart feels as if it has been through the shredder and then ripped even further. My chest feels as if there is a hole where my heart belonged. The edges were jagged and raw. I felt like if I didn't physically hold myself together I would fall apart. I wrapped my arms around myself doing my best to keep myself together, I curled in on myself and just whimpered as the tears fell down my face. _

"_It's going to be okay Cass. I'll take care of you I promise." Kai says wrapping my up from behind. _

_ I stayed like that for the next two days. I would fall into a fitful sleep only to wake up screaming, trying to hold myself together. Then Kai would come and promise me things as I cried myself back to a fitful sleep only to wake up screaming again. After the second day my mother had enough of it. _

"_Get out of bed." She demands. _

_ I didn't move, I couldn't. _

"_Cassia, get up and get yourself together. I know this will be hard but get up." _

_ I started to get angry and I could almost feel it vibrating my body. _

"_Come on. You need to get up." She repeats_

_ That did it. _

"_How can you even say that!? How are you not grieving!? Your husband, my father is dead!" I scream at her whipping up into a sitting position. _

"_I know Cassie, I know your hurting but you need to move on." She says as plain as could be_

"_MOVE ON!? How can I move on!? Dad is dead! You want me to move on!" I scream_

"_Yes, he wouldn't want us to live like this." She says plainly_

"_You never loved him did you? You never loved him! If you loved him you wouldn't be able to stand right now! How dare you!" I scream at her _

_ He face reddened and before I could see what she was doing her hand came a crossed my face in a hard, powerful slap. _

"_Don't you ever say things like that again! I loved your father very much! I know that he wouldn't have wanted us to live like this." She says coldly _

"_No, no you don't know." I say holding my cheek, tears gushing down my cheeks. _

"_Get up. Now." My mother demands. _

_ I just lay back down curling up and wrapping my arms around me. She let out a huff and left. _

_ Kai comes in a few minutes later. _

"_I'm sorry. Don't be mad. I have to do this okay?" He says sadly _

_ He picks me up, and out of instinct I wrap my legs around him. I realize that he's taking me downstairs. I protest half-heartedly. He sits down on the couch, and pulls my legs to one side of him, as I hide under his chin. _

"_Cassia, I made you some soup." My mother says offering the bowl to me. _

_ When I don't take it, Kai takes it and she leaves. _

"_Come on. You need to eat. It's been two days Cass." He pleads. _

_ I shake my head. _

"_Come on. It's your mom's broccoli and cheese soup. How can you turn that down?" He says in fake disbelief. _

"_Come on just a few bites, for me." He says when I don't respond. _

_ When I still don't respond, he physically sits me up and raises a spoonful to my mouth. _

"_Just a couple. I promise." He says encouraging me. _

_ I look at him and he smiles. I decided that maybe he will leave me alone if I take a bite. So I take the bite of soup, it taste like nothing but the heat is inviting. _

"_Thank you. Just few more." Kai says brightly. _

_ He feeds me a few more bites, but I start feeling sick, and the pain is making itself known again. I had forgotten for a few minutes, when it began to be too much I buried myself back into Kai. _

"_Okay, good enough for now. Thank you." He whispers as the tears return. _

_ A week later I walk down the stairs and curl up on the couch with a blanket. I have a sweater, long pants, and socks on and I'm freezing. Always freezing. I begin to fall asleep when I hear my mom's voice. _

"_I don't know what to do anymore Margo. When I look at her she looks like my daughter but it's like she isn't even here. Her eyes are dead, the glow she used to have is gone. She's so pale but the circles under her eyes are so dark, but all she does is sleep. I can't get her to eat more than a few bites, and neither can Kai. I mean at least she's out of bed, but she sits on the couch and staring at the wall when she's awake. I try talking to her and it's like she doesn't even hear me. It's like she's dead inside. When the tree crushed Clark, it's like it crushed Cassia's spirit with him. I'm afraid that if she doesn't snap out of it she'll die, if she doesn't snap out of it before the Reaping I know I'll lose her. I know it's almost a year away but I still worry." My mom voices her fears to Mrs. Mayberry. _

"_I know it's hard Kate but just keep trying. You both are hurting and you both are dealing with it differently. You just need to understand that she is sixteen, and just lost her father. She probably doesn't know how to cope." Mrs. Mayberry suggests._

"_I don't know. I'm just scared. I wish she could understand me like Calla does but then again I will I could understand Cassia. The two are like different planets. I know the death took its toll on Calla but she was more of a Mommy's girl. I just wish Cassia would see reason, I can't lose her Margo I can't." I hear my mom's voice waver _

_ I ended up falling asleep, before I can hear the continuation of their conversation. _

_ The days blurred together and before I knew it 2 months had gone by. It was time to go out and work in the Pine Woods with Kai and his father. I threw myself into the work._

_ Coming home I was exhausted, and mother as usual shoved what little food she could get down my throat. After that I would wash myself up and go to bed. The next day I would get up and repeat. That's how I continued on. I didn't feel, I didn't think, I only moved out of muscle memory and the need to be close to my father this way. It took 4 months to cut down the quota needed to send to the Capitol. _

_ After the field work was done, there was nothing. I became a part of the couch once more. I didn't want to live like this, but at the same time, I didn't want to live at all. So I stayed in limbo for the remainder of the year._

_ I was getting dressed and all I could think was "Fuck the Capitol I want to go back to sleep." I was just finishing up when my mother's voice came from the door._

"_Cassie? Can I come in?" My mom asks knocking on the door._

"_Yeah." I reply with my raspy voice _

"_You look beautiful darling." She says with a tight smile. _

_ I just stand there. I feel dead. I wish I was. _

"_Before you go I wanted to talk." She say nervously_

_ I nod._

"_Just know whatever happens next I will always love you so very much. Your father would say the same. Just remember 'No matter how, no matter where, I will always be there. I am here in your heart. No need to be scared.'." She says repeating our family's mantra. _

_ I nod again with tears in my eyes. _

"_I love you and I'm sorry if I've pushed you to hard. Just know that I will always love you baby girl." She says kissing my forehead. _

_ I instantly hug her, and for a few minutes we are okay. Then reality comes back with Kai knocking on the door. _

_ Walking to the reaping is always nerve wrecking. Kai and I would walk hand in hand down to the Justice Building. Once we are signed in we take our respective places. _

"_Welcome! We are slightly behind schedule. So we'll skip the video and go right to the drawing." The District 7 escort says cheerily. _

_ There is little response to the festive escort. _

"_For the girls." She says reaching in _

"_Alice Ashhallow!" The escort declares._

_ A girl no more than thirteen emerges looking shocked. I feel bad for her. Then a though crosses my mind. _

"_I volunteer!" I yell out raising my hand._

_ I hear my mother scream._

"_What is your name my dear." The escort asks me as I'm brought to the stage. _

"_Cassia Redwood." I say defiantly _

_ I vaguely hear gasps, but I ignore them listening for the boy's to be called. _

"_Kai Mayberry." I hear and I almost fall to my knees. _

I was sitting motionless on a soft plush couch made for two, thinking over and over again asking myself the one question that's been haunting me for the past hour and a half of this train ride. Why the hell did I volunteer for the games?! I took the place of some little girl I don't even know! I'm fucked, totally and hopelessly fucked...dumb-ass. I should have just died by self-starvation at home, well there's still a chance of that happening...they aren't good but, at least there's a chance a sucky chance but a chance all the same.

"What the hell is taking that god damned mentor of ours so long?!" I say irritated

In the past few hours I've felt and said more than I have in close to two weeks.

Next to me sat Kai, at least he didn't volunteer...god my sanity has officially left me. After waiting forever with a nervous twitching Kai.

"Kai! Stop twitching! You're making me nervous." I tell him

When our great and mighty mentor walked in my mouth dropped. He was young late twenties and he had short spiked jet black hair, fairly tanned skin, light muscles on his arms, and he was tall at least 6'0, then I looked into his eyes and they were a shining light blue. He wore black faded jeans with a black muscle shirt (he has a six pack; drool!) and then I looked down and saw he didn't have any shoes on…or socks?

He's smoking hot something was bound to be off. I looked back into his magical blue eyes and he was looking right at me, SHIT! He flashed me his pearly whites in the form of a smirk that said 'I'm sexy and I know it' he sat across from us and slouched back putting his hands behind his head then rested his long feet on the coffee table that was separating us. When he finally spoke I almost melted away, his voice was deep and velvety.

"So you're this year's sacrifices, huh?" He said sadly sarcastic

"W-what?!" Kai stutters

_Well my asshole detector is going off. _

"I'll use the word 'tribute' then to help put you at ease." He laughs coldly

_Yup you're a genuine asshole..._

"What is your name?" I ask harshly

"I'm Zebka your mentor. I'm here to teach you how to not die as painfully as you most likely will. You are Cassia Redwood, and you are Kai Mayberry, right? So what are your skills?" Zebka asked as if he was bored.

Both Kai and I just sat thinking in suffocating silence for several minutes, until finally Kai spoke up.

"I can climb fairly well; I've handled an axe a time or two, but I mostly worked in the factories lifting heavy weight." Kai explained sheepishly

After Kai was done talking Zebka looked to me as a signal to speak.

"Well I worked in the forest cutting down trees, so I'm good with an axe, I can climb trees all day, and I'm really good with plant identification." I explain haughtily

"Can either of you swim?" Zebka asked us

"No..." We both answer

"You're chances of survival just went down again. Seven is doomed once again this year!" Zebka said hopelessly and threw his hands up in the air.

_Ass_...After that we only 'chatted' with Zebka for a few more minutes before Bezemy our escort came in all smiley and happy. Now I thought the escort from District Twelve was a loon. Oh, how very wrong I was. Bezemy tops them all.

She was young mid-twenties, thin, standing at about 5'5, her skin was an ivory color due to make-up I'm sure. Her outfit my god it looked like a rainbow threw up all over her and she was covered in glitter like she bathed in the shit. Her outfit consisted of a very puffy rainbow/glitter skirt that stopped at the top of her knees, a rainbow/glitter halter top that stopped at the top of her belly button, and on her feet she wore light pink ten inch heels that were covered in glitter. Her make-up was piss your pants laughing bad, and her hair was a bit too tight with puffy curls and colored light pink with colorful highlights here and there and everywhere! I wonder if she dresses herself. Wow scary thought!

She was a very happy cheery person the kind you sometimes just want to slap because they're so happy. Bezemy and Zebka don't get along they are always arguing about something. Zebka acts like a child and Bezemy is like an annoying older sister; but they give an odd comfort...well Zebka can sometimes break that comfort by just being himself but nothing is ever perfect.

Soon night had fallen and we ate. Zebka eats like a god damned pig, and then Oh Lord he threw mashed potatoes at Bezemy. Now she may be wearing ten inch heels but that woman can fucking move in them let me tell you!

After dinner Bezemy lead me to my room and told me to rest up because we would be arriving in the capitol tomorrow. My room was very spacious, the walls were plain white with gold leaf designs all over the place, my floor was a shining marble, there was a queen size bed with plain spotless white blankets and pillows, a nightstand on either side of the bed with lamps on them, and two doors one leading to I hoped a bathroom and the other was a closet. I took a long shower after I was done doing everything I stayed in just standing under the warm water letting it sooth my aching muscles. When I finally got out of the shower I dried myself off with a towel, brushed my teeth and hair, walked back into my room and got a long sleeve black shirt, with gray sweats, and purple underwear from my dresser. After forcing myself to pull the clothes on, I crawled into bed and soon fell into a nightmare filled slumber, with my past demons promising to never let me go.

**(Rule # 2)No, nothing is perfect, but imperfection is always in style. **


	2. Coffee, Cows, and Concussions

Here's chapter 2! If you could review that would be great! Reviews = inspiration = quicker updates!

**Some people just hate mornings...and cows...yeah cows.**

I was deep asleep when the sound of someone yelling pulled me from the darkest depths of my slumber. I looked out my window that I had failed to take notice of last night and saw that it was a little before dawn; who in their right mind would be up at this hour yelling their head off. Curious and slightly ticked off I crawled out of bed, running my hand through my messy long wavy honey blonde hair trying to tame it even if just a little. As soon as my bare feet hit the cold marble floor a shiver ran up my spine and goose bumps appeared all over my arms and legs.

I left my room and walked down the hallway from last night my bare feet making small tapping sounds as I walked toward the source of the yelling. When I caught movement out of the corner of my right eye and stopped walking whipping my head to the right. I ran to the nearest window as I looked out I could not believe what I was seeing. Cows. Lots and lots of cows. I open the window and am deafened by the shear amount of noise the large animals were making. There was just an endless amount of cows! Even with all the noise they were making the angry yells of a man simply refused to be silenced. I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I hadn't heard anyone enter until they tapped me on my right shoulder, I was so startled I jumped and hit my head on the window.

"Son of a bitch!" I groan as I rub the forming bump on my head.

"My mom ain't no bitch Cassia, thank you very much." Kai laughs

I turn to see the amusement alight in his eyes and laughter on his lips.

"Well good morning Cassia! Well from the look of things I'd say we are in district 10!" Bezemy just about giggles.

"Did the yelling wake you guys up too?" I ask annoyed as the yells and profanities continue.

"Yeah, as it turns out Zebka isn't a morning person." Kai says giving a nervous laugh as he rubs the back of his neck

"I don't blame him one bit. Being up this early is inhumane." I tell them completely serious and out raged.

They both shake their heads trying not to laugh at my apparent ridiculousness.

"Now. Where is the coffee?" I say aloud more to myself than anyone else.

"Well then how about we have coffee and breakfast, while Zebka yells at the cows?" She says as if it's complete normalcy.

"You fucking cows get out of the damn way!" We hear Zebka scream as if on cue.

"Wow." Is all I can say.

"If you fucking cows don't fucking move I will turn you into fucking hamburgers!" He continues.

I look to Kai who is barley containing himself.

"Oh I swear on Finnick Odiar that if you don't move your damn fucking cows this instant there will be repercussions!" He screams in a farmers face.

Bezemy is just beyond herself as she hums and giggles.

How someone can be so damn cheery at the crack of fucking dawn is so fucking beyond me it's downright fucking disturbing.

Zebka stalks passed us muttering about the cows and how great a cheeseburger patty melt sounds good.

When I turned to answer Bezemy my eyes almost popped out of my head and I had to blink a few times to make sure I wasn't just seeing things.

Her hair was in fuzzy curls with stray hairs sticking up here and there. Her outfit consisted of a halter top that looked like a big pink ball of cotton candy or maybe a cloud, she has pink short shorts on that had the cotton candy looking stuff looping around her waist and where the shorts ended there was more of the cotton candy looking stuff. On her feet are just balls of the pink shit! Her whole outfit including her hair was pink, even her long cat like fake nails her a glittering pink.

"Oh my you know Kai had the same reaction you just did! I knew I looked good but not this good! Well then let's go to the dining cart and eat!" She squeals as if it was necessary.

She bounces all the way to the door and happily headed to the dining cart; Leaving me and Kai behind. I looked at Kai and at that moment he let out a bursting laugh. His short inky black hair that just barely touched his ears was messy but more tamed then mine, and his beautiful blue/green eyes were popping thanks to his fair complexion. Which he gained after working in the factories all the time. His eyes are shinning with amusement and happiness; in that moment I didn't feel hollow. I felt almost at peace, like the world wasn't fucked up; like people weren't suffering every day in all the 12 districts; like 23 children aren't sent to their premature deaths every year for the sake of the capitols amusement. However nothing lasts forever, soon Kai got his laugher under control and the hollowness returned having chased the bliss away. Scolding myself for allowing myself to feel even the smallest bit of hope. Once he was done he straightened up and we were eye to eye, as we were both 5'7.

"I knew that capitol people were a bit fruity, but to think they are this bad, it's a scary thought." He says

"Here's a scary thought. What if Bezemy is the most normal of all the capitol people?" I say in a horrified tone.

"Holy shit Cassia, as if I didn't have enough to worry about or be scared of!" He shivers

"I'm just saying, it's a possibility." I say shrugging my shoulders.

"You're words do little to comfort me, Oh great and wise Cassia seer of all!

"Ass!" I sneer

"Bitch!" Kai retorts

"Dick!" I yell

"Crotch!" He yells back

"Bastard!" I just barley scream

"You know I do recall having this conversation with you before, I just can't remember when?" Kai says with fake recognition.

"Let's just call it a tie this time and go eat breakfast." I laugh

"Good idea!" He says with a small smile.

We sat down with Bezemy and I finally got my beloved coffee. Zebka joined us after having yelled at the cows, the farmers, and the train operators, and then there was us the poor souls that Zebka had awaken. It's sad but true no one could escape the wraith of Zebka Walkers. When we finally got to the Capitol, what I saw blew my mind and shocked me into silence_. _


	3. Purple is Royal and Gold is Rich

So Hi again! Starbright wrote this one! Hope you enjoy it! Please please review! I'm begging!

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Purple is for the Royal's and Gold is for the Rich

After the Cow and Zebka ordeal it was fairly quiet. I refused to talk strategy with Zebka because I knew I had a 2% chance of getting out alive.

We still had about six days until we got to the Capitol with District 7 being the furthest away. So in an attempt to keep myself from going insane I took advantage of the on-board gym; I had muscles but (after laying around for a year which wasn't good for my then toned body at all) I lost them. I worked out for hours on end, only stopping to grab some water and a protein type bar that Zebka and Bezemy insist I eat to avoid passing out. Kai will sometimes join me but he works out for an entirely different reason.

This went on for the next four days. I would wake up eat breakfast and then work out, skip lunch and then clean-up for dinner. I ate in silence while Kai, Zebka and Bezemy talked freely about just about everything.

"Which Districts do you think will be the first to be obliterated?" Kai asked.

"Most likely 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, possibly 11 and of course 12. Basically everyone who's not a Career." Zebka says coolly

"So you think both of us will die?" Kai asks nervously

"What I'm saying is that you have a very good chance of not living." Zebka says bluntly

"Oh…I see you." Kai says

At this point I look up at Kai who has turn an ash-y green color.

"I thought the point of having a mentor was so that you had a better chance to win?" I asked rhetorically.

"Well it depends on who a mentor gets as a tribute and who is trainable." Zebka tells me

"And Kai isn't? Kai is the most adaptable person you'll ever meet." I say offended

"Yes that I won't have the pleasure of seeing again after the Games." Zebka say icily

"Excuse me!? How about you just kill him now!?" I yell

"That dear is against the law. I would also be kinder to him in death." Zebka retorts.

I feel the blood rush to my face, knowing that it's bright red by this point. I stand up, wrapping my fingers around my steak knife. Before I can think the knife is whizzing through the air and places itself in the wall by his head.

"You'd better sit down young lady and finish you dinner." Zebka says calmly as he pulls the knife from the wall and sets it next to his own.

"I'm afraid that I'm full!" I yell

"_SIT DOWN!" _Zebka screams.

Terrified to do anything else, I sit.

"NOW! I'm 28 years old and I've been doing this for 10 years! I know who will die and who won't! I've seen countless kids just like you die in an instant! I've got pretty good at this figuring out will die and who might have a chance. It's a 50/50 chance you can either be on the right side of the 50 or the wrong side. It's up to you!" Zebka say perturbed

I simply stare at him in awe. Never had I imagined that Zebka could actually be more than an asshole.

"Now it's your choice if you want to fight for your life or you can die with cowardice on your lips." Zebka says and gives me a pointed look.

For the rest of dinner we all sit in silence. Bezemy doesn't dare breathe a word either. After our plates were taken away Zebka left and we all dispersed.

After a few hours of tossing and turning I've changed my mind completely.

"I don't want to die Dad." I whisper in hopes of him actually listening wherever he might be. I give up on sleep a few minutes later and I decide to go to the viewing room to watch all of the reaping from this year. I skip over our District and go right to 8's.

"They won't stand a chance against you if you'd actually apply yourself. Zebka's voice comes from behind me.

"I don't want to die." I confirm

"That's a start." He says

"To better answer the first question you asked Kai and I. I can throw knives or wield an axe, I can climb trees and I'm fairly stealthy. Ask my Mom about that last one I think I took about 10 years off her life by sneaking around in the dark and scaring her." I tell him.

"Alright now that is something I can work with." Zebka smiles.

I just nod and he sits down next to me. We watch the rest of the reaping and Zebka rewinds it so we can talk about who's who and what their strengths are. By District 5 I've fallen asleep. I dream of ways to win and ways I could die.

The next two days Zebka and I talk strategy after dinner and we come up with a plan A and a plan B.

"Okay now that we've got it all planned out. If you'd looked out the window you'll see that we are just outside of the Capitol.

I jump up and run to the window. I hear Kai's soft steps coming up behind me and resting his hands on my shoulders.

My mouth gaps open. Everything is draped, and bathed in purple and gold. Buildings, streets, streets signs and most of all people.

"It's this seasons colors. They go perfectly together! My favorite designer is coming out with a new line of clothing and he's calling it Royals and Riches." Bezemy babbles happily.

As we pull up to the Training Center people are everywhere cheering us on and telling us good luck. It's slightly frightening.

We get up to our apartments and again I'm struck in awe of the beauty of it.

"It's gorgeous isn't it? I designed it myself!" Bezemy says proudly

"I'm at loss for words so I just shake my head.

"We have about an hour and a half before dinner. So why don't you both go and change and get washed up. You also might want to begin acquainting yourself with your rooms." Bezemy say cheerily.

We all make our way to our own rooms. As I walk into my mine I suddenly make a very high pitch squeaky noise.

Everything is gold and has been inlaid with silver decorations. The walls, the bed spread, the doors, the desk, the shelves, the windows, the inside of the closet, the carpet, even the bathtub! This next week I'll spend in my own golden world.

"The room suits you Golden Girl." Zebka says from the doorway

I'm about to say something but he just walks away leaving me to stare in wonder.


End file.
